Today's portable public safety communication devices, for example radios and associated accessories are incorporating additional features, such as body worn camera systems for capturing video. While a combination of wide angle field of view optics and camera articulation features are considered desirable, most body worn camera systems only offer wide angle optics due to concerns with design complexity with the articulating camera system. The results are severely limited wearing positions for these body worn camera systems.
The ability to protect the articulating features of the body worn camera system in rugged environments is critical to maintaining good communications. A communication device having an articulating camera is particularly sensitive to wetness, smoke, dust, and other elements encountered in public safety environments, and thus particular attention must be taken to protect the camera device. Protecting the camera from the environment while maintaining the camera's range of motion is particularly challenging when designing an assembly for a portable device having a limited form factor. Wear and tear, leakage, space, fatigue and rotational drag are all important factors needing consideration along with the need to maintain a good electrical interconnect.
Accordingly, there is a need for a portable communication device with an improved sealed camera assembly. Such an assembly would be particularly beneficial to body worn camera systems.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention.